Rick Jolly

Jolly died on 13 January 2018 from heart condition complications and is survived by his wife, Susie (née Matthews), a former children's nurse, whom he married in 1970. Their son, James, predeceased him aged 17.

Before visiting Argentina in 1998, Jolly had sent ahead a list of Argentine casualties and asked the authorities there what had become of them. As a result, the Argentine Foreign Ministry discovered the truth about the battlefield medical care of their wounded by the British during the conflict and invited over 50 of them to a ceremony in Buenos Aires, where Jolly was appointed as an Oficial (Officer) in the Order of May in recognition of his outstanding work in saving the lives of many wounded Argentine soldiers and airmen.

Jolly was educated at Stonyhurst College and subsequently studied medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College (now Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry) in London, and qualified as a physician in 1969. While working as a houseman, a senior colleague suggested he join the Royal Naval Reserve as a Royal Navy doctor.

Jolly's first book, For Campaign Service, detailed the experience of soldiers and Royal Marines who served in Northern Ireland. The book took its title and cover image from the General Service Medal (1962) issued to UK military. He also wrote the book The Red and Green Life Machine, about his experiences in the Falklands War, and Jackspeak: A Guide to British Naval Slang and Usage.

Surgeon-Captain Richard Tadeusz Jolly OBE (29 October 1946 – 13 January 2018) was a Royal Navy medical officer who served in the 1982 Falklands War and was later decorated by both the British and Argentine governments for his distinguished conduct during the conflict. He went on to practise and give lectures to medical establishments on his experiences. He was a co-founder, with Denzil Connick, of the South Atlantic Medal Association formed in 1997. He was also the only person to be decorated by both sides for his work in the Falklands War.

He became Medical Officer to 42 Commando RM, who were deployed in Belfast along with men of the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, with whom he built a strong friendship.